Let Them Talk
by howlittleyoutrustme
Summary: It seems that living in a small town has its downsides, especially when the town is full of gossipy, unforgiving fairy tale characters. Emma and Regina struggle with people refusing to accept their relationship. Swan Queen two-shot, set in an early, AU, Season 2.
1. Talk Doesn't Bother Me

Just a quick two-shot that's been lying around for a while. Was originally meant to be a one-shot, but got a little long winded and ended up in the awkward state of being just too long for a two-shot, and just too short for a one-shot. Not sure I really got the characterisation of either Emma or Regina (or any of the characters, for that matter) quite right, but I'm working on it, so please endeavour to forgive me.

No characters are mine etc - whatever boring disclaimers are supposed to say. Un-beta'ed, so all mistakes are my own (there are probably quite a few, in all honesty)

Hope you enjoy it, or at least are able to tolerate it. If you could possibly let me know what you think of it, the contribution would be much appreciated.

* * *

"Your girlfriend is a _psycho_"

Not even looking up from the report in front of her, Emma made a small noise of assent, "Yeah, but she's cute."

"She's a complete lunatic! She's egoistical, narcissistic and- Emma! Are you listening to me?"

Sighing, Emma looked up and wrinkled her nose before replying, "Did I mention that she's cute?"

With a detached kind of amusement, the blonde watched as her friend's face turned as red as the jewel that was her namesake. _'She looks kind of like a fish', _Emma thought absentmindedly as Ruby's mouth flapped open and closed the other girl tried to find the words to respond.

Not bothering to wait for Ruby's reply, she gave a small roll of her eyes and reread the sentence in front of her for what felt like the millionth time. The report was one for the mayoral office and was mind numbing both in its complexity and its sheer tediousness, and Emma was pretty sure that Regina had passed it onto her as petty penance for the night before, when Emma had trodden dirt all over the floor of the mayoral mansion.

Whatever, in fairness, she had known how much the mud would piss Regina off when she had done it, and probably deserved the headache the tiny print of the file had given her.

As Ruby began to speak again, Emma gave in, and dropped the biro that was between her fingers, and slammed shut the report. She glared up at her part-time deputy, who was apparently oblivious to the withering glare that was Emma's speciality, used only in times of dire annoyance.

"Honestly, Emma, I don't think she's changed at all. She's still manipulative, cold, cruel, and bitter – don't look at me like that – and she's not in her right mind. Seriously, how do you even put up with her?", said Ruby -who, in fairness, was usually fairly laidback, and fairly tolerant of Regina's antics- earnestly, looking imploringly at the blonde who sat stoically in front of her.

Unfazed, Emma shrugged and gave a crooked little smile to the brunette; one of those smiles that could mean anything, the kind that was a private joke between its giver and someone who wasn't present.

"I guess you just don't know her like I do", came the calm, though slightly tired reply.

Watching in irritated silence as the blonde returned to the manila folder, Ruby shook her head at a battle that was quite clearly lost. She pouted slightly, and then turned back to her own desk, occasionally sneaking glances at her friend (and boss).

* * *

"Emma?"

Emma jumped a little, then sighed and turned her head, "Yeah?"

A pair of eyes similar to her own looked at her from across the room. They had a boldness in them that wasn't there when Emma had first come to know them, but a flicker of doubt – a shadow of tameness – still resided there.

"Do you have a minute?"

"Uh huh"

Standing and walking over to the kitchen bar, Emma began to help Mary Margaret (she still had trouble thinking of the woman as her mother, or as Snow White) unpack the groceries that still lay in the paper bags they had been brought to the house in, "So, what's up?"

Snow cleared her throat before speaking, "I wanted to talk to you about Regina."

Emma suddenly became very interested in the face on the milk carton back in front of her. Having had her face in the same position before, she supposed she did have special reason to seem so interested in it, but she doubted it would deter the pixie-like woman opposite her.

This was the third time Mary Margaret – Snow - had tried to talk to her about Regina. And the fourth time today she had heard somebody say her girlfriend's name in that less than friendly tone of voice. So she was counting them, so what?

"Oh yeah? Why?", Emma replied coolly, glancing up after a few moments of silence

"I was just…just thinking about you and her."

"Mhmmm."

"Now you know your father and I have nothing against her, but we were talking to Ruby and –"

"That girl talks too much."

"Emma." The word was spoken in admonishment.; the epitome of a stern mother's voice.

"Sorry, carry on?"

"And we – I – was just wondering…Emma, you're not going to like this, but has she really changed? She's still like she was before, as the mayor, and how she behaves towards everybody, and I'm just worried that she hasn't changed and that…"

"And what, Mary Mar- Mom?", as Emma spoke, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Emma…you know what I'm trying to say…"

They sat in silence for a moment, Emma's eyes narrowing further as her mothers grew wider at the chill she could quite clearly feel emanating from her daughter.

"Actually, I don't think I do.", came the steely reply, given with a razor sharp edge after a few tense moments of silence.

"Your father and I are concerned Emma, and so is the rest of the town.", Snow said gently, trying to repair, or at least lessen the damage clearly done by starting this conversation, "We're concerned that Regina won't be good for you. I don't know what she's said, but she has a history of lying to get what she wants. Are you sure she isn't trying to get Henry back by using you?"

More icy silence greeted her words, and Snow found she could not read Emma's eyes. Her daughter took a deep breath – a calming one, it seemed – and stood, walking over to the door and yanking her coat on in short, abrupt movements.

"Emma, honey, sit down. Can we please talk about this?"

Raising her chin defensively, and giving her mother a small, bitter smile, Emma spoke, "There's nothing to talk about: I think you've made yourself perfectly clear. See you tonight."

With the click of a closing door, and a swish of blonde hair, she was gone, leaving Snow alone in the kitchen with a milk carton, and what she thought was the smell of bridges burning.

* * *

Mutters and whispers shot through the room as the couple walked in, Emma's hand protectively clasping Regina's. Studiously ignoring them, Emma led them over to the bar, perching herself on a stall, and encouraging Regina, (who was obviously hesitant) to do the same.

The evening was slow, and monotonous, as they generally were in Storybrooke, with its one bar and its stagnant social groups It was all very well and good on special occasions, such as when Emma and Mary Margaret returned, or birthdays (due to the festive atmosphere that got churned put) but every Thursday evening to meet with the same people, in the same place for the same conversations was dull, to say the very least.

And that was discounting the hostility that was radiating from most of the occupants of the room towards the woman who sat at Emma's side. Few people approached them, and the ones who did were gratefully engaged in conversation; Archie, Kathryn and, surprisingly, Belle all stopped to greet or talk to Emma and Regina.

The evening was well underway before Emma and Regina were left entirely alone, a few metres separating their perch on the bar to the conversations of everybody else.

"If looks could kill, dear, I'm afraid I'd be fairly seriously ill right now.", Regina said, quirking the corner of her mouth, and twitching her head to indicate the glares being thrown at her by Emma's parents, and the leggy brunette who seemed to have her nose in every drama or social upset there was.

"I'd tell you to ignore them, but I'd say that my parents are ready to stop glaring daggers and are planning to bring out the trebuchets instead.", Emma responded lightly, making a soothing circle with her thumb of the back Regina's hand.

Chuckling, Regina looked away, tensing as she saw how many people stood uneasy, or were throwing them curious glances. Her jaw clenched, and she turned her face away, staring at the wall across from her in a mixture of frustration, anger and a small amount of dejection.

It was a strong hand on her cheek that moved her from her daze. Green eyes met her own, and she felt a small amount of the prickling feeling fall away, eliminated by the softness in the face opposite hers.

"D'you want to know what I think?"

"Right at this very moment, dear, I just want to go home.", was her defeated reply, accompanied with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"I think they're envious, and I pity them."

"What?"

"You heard me. They don't see you like I do, and they're really loosing out on that count. They don't see you for you, and I pity them for that."

The honesty in the statement caused more upset for Regina than the death stares she had been receiving all evening. Blinking back a small amount of wetness in her eyes (she was far too composed to try in public), the brunette leant forwards to speak close to Emma's ear, "Let's go home."

"Lets."

* * *

Another chapter to come (probably of the same crappy quality). Again, if you could take the time to leave a review, I'd really appreciate it.


	2. Let Them Talk

I have no idea when this is set. Somewhere in an very early AU season two, I would think, as there has obviously been reconciliation between the Charming's and Regina, and most of the town still detests her.

Again, un-beta'ed, so any mistakes are entirely my fault. Feel free to point them out. If you have the time, please leave a review - I'd love know what you think.

* * *

It was the next Thursday, and the atmosphere was just as stilted as it has been last week, and the week before. The only thing that had changed were the attitude of the people in the room.

Emma and Regina, once again, occupied the seats at the bar. And, once again, they seemed to be on their own little island, or were unknowingly creating a forcefield around them.

No one would come within a few metres of Regina.

The woman could be an utter harpy if she wanted to - Emma knew that from personal experience. But she was quite obviously trying to change and these people, who claimed to be forgiving and pure, refused to accept the fact. They were myopic, narrow-minded and, in Emma's own opinion, bordering on bigoted. Even her parents were guilty of prejudice - the oh-so far rulers of everything cute and furry who were born from rainbows and has flowers springing up in the footprints they left behind them.

What a load of crap.

She had let this go on for far too long.

Sighing, she made an attempt to catch Ruby's eyes from across the room, and was shocked when the brunette met her eyes, but gave a curt shake of brightly streaked hair. The message portrayed by the action was clear enough. Not whilst Regina was there. Other people in the room picked up on the exchange, and those closest to the isolated couple turned away from them in a manner that was less than subtle.

"Look. Enough, all of you! Seriously, Ruby, you're being ridiculous. You all are, actually."

With an incriminating glare, the blonde looked around the room, holding up a hand when Regina made to get up. Her eyes softened as she looked her girlfriend, who was visibly upset - at least to Emma's trained eye. There was an ocean of hurt in Regina's eyes, clearly lying just under the ice that had frozen the brunette's face into a well-worn mask of cold aloofness. How could they not see that the layer of ice was so thin, so superficial, and it was down to them that it was still in place?

"Stay, please.", she said quietly, lightly touching Regina's hand as she met the frozen brown eyes she found herself falling into again and again. To her delight, she saw the ice in them recede a little, and took a deep, steadying breath as the brunette sat down, as poised as ever.

Another deep breath, another glance around the room.

"I've let this slide for long enough and, Regina, I'm really sorry for that. "

She shot a sidelong glance at the brunette, who gave a nearly imperceptible nod to her.

"I let it slide – the casual name calling, the jokes, what you said about her – I thought you'd let it go, move on. Things like calling her _'her majesty'_ or '_the evil queen' _still. Things like refusing to sit next to her, talk to her like she's a human being. Like pretending that she's not the 'proper' mayor, even though Snow and James obviously have no clue how to run a town – sorry, but it's true, Mom. Let's face it; it would be anarchy without her. Even just the subtle things, like not acknowledging her on the street when she's right freaking next to you, or looking her in the eye when she walks past. I appreciate the fact that she did an unspeakable thing to you all – she took away the lives you had, and probably did a lot worse when she was in your world – but that was a long time ago."

As her voice grew more sarcastic and accusatory, she began to look around the room more. She was met with downcast gazes, or eyes that quickly darted away from hers when she tried to meet them.

"She's changed. You say that there's no proof that's she's changed, and you can't trust her without _proof_. And even though you say you that, you refuse to accept proof when it's presented to you or you refuse to even give her a chance to prove anything to you. Not that she needs to prove anything. Not to you people. You're all blind, all set in your ways, all determined to see her as the Evil Queen. Maybe that's what happens if you're stuck the same way for 28 years. You lose the ability to move on, to forgive. All of you apparently have.

Not only are you holding your own personal grudges, but you're all in a stalemate. You're all afraid that if one of you bends, and forgives her, the others will tear you to shreds. Let's face it; you're all fairy tales. You're all about redemption and rehabilitation. You love happy endings, but you're trying to stop hers."

More and more gazes dropped from Emma as she carried on.

"If anything goes wrong in this town, it's immediately her fault. Anything she does right is a coincidence, a lie or somebody else's achievement. How many mobs have you made? How many times have you stormed to her house, and threatened to kill her? How many of you have spat at her on the street? How many of you are determined to scapegoat her? Newflash: she's a freaking human being. She's working on it, just like you're working on _trying_ to be all freakishly happy all of the time. She does have a heart – a damaged one, in fairness – and you're only hardening it by not even acknowledging that she's trying."

Emma saw Regina tense and her jaw clench from the corner of her eye. She knew full well that the brunette would be uncomfortable at being made to look so weak, and she for sure that her girlfriend would rather tear her own eyes out that admit that not having the forgiveness of these people hurt her, but she ploughed on nonetheless.

Maybe it wasn't the best thing to do, and she'd have to apologise to Regina later, but it was the only way to make them see. Her accusations did not stop until not one person in the room could meet her eyes (the last pair to drop belonging to Mr. Gold who Emma felt keep his gaze up purely for entertainment purpose, rather than actually caring what Emma was saying, or the reactions the words caused.)

When Emma stopped, the room lapsed into silence. Nobody met Emma's eyes as she looked around. Sighing, she turned, and held a hand out to Regina, "We're leaving. Together. Any objections?"

Nothing.

Both keeping stony faces, the two women shrugged on their coats and left the building. It remained silent until the laughter that was bubbling through the apartment had faded to a muted whisper.

Ruby was the first to break the silence, "Apple pie, any one?"

Unamused looks and a few grumbles flooded the room at the brunette's words.

* * *

They stopped walking about thirty metres from the apartment building.

"You shouldn't have done that, Emma"

Emma rolled her eyes and in a fluid motion, spun her girlfriend around to face her, "But I did."

"You shouldn't have had to", Regina repeated, folding her arms across her chest.

"But I did have do."

"No, you didn't"

"Yes I did"

"Emma, you did not have to do that. It was unnessecary, and has probably made your already fragile relationship with your…_parents…_even rockier than it was already. You did not have to do that."

"Did too", Emma replied with the obligatory, playful sticking out of her tongue

"Are you honestly expecting me to say 'did not'?"

"Humour me."

"I honestly, don't know why I'm in a relationship with a child", Regina said, knowing that Emma was trying to divert the course of the conversation in a more favourable direction, but letting her, at least for the moment.

"'Cause you're a creepy old lady who likes children?", Emma said mockingly the brunette with a grin.

Dark eyes rolled as their owner heard the comment, "Somehow, dear, I don't think that's the case."

"Eh, neither do I. Could it possibly be because you love me?", Emma said, cheeky this time, and doing nothing to help save the remnants of her maturity, with a coy elbow to Regina's side.

Another eye roll, "I think you know the answer to that., Miss Swan"

"Do I?" She stepped forwards and placed her suggestively hands on Regina's hips.

A warning note appeared in Regina's voice as she spoke, reverting the conversation to its original course in one word, "Emma."

"Look, Regina, like I said back there, I had enough of them. I was trying to be understanding – trying to accommodate them - but a line had to be drawn somewhere at sometime. I just happened to lose my cool then. I know they've been through a lot, but so have you. And nobody has ever even tried to tell your story. They had it coming.

You're my girlfriend, not the Evil Queen. That's in the past. You've changed, so if people spout off about you, it upsets me. Nobody talks dirt about my girl.", starting off ever so serious, Emma managed to finish her speech with a wink, grinning at the eye roll she received in return.

As Regina looked away from her, Emma reached up with one hand, and gently pulled the brunette's face back around to face her own, "You are the most beautiful, fantastic, talented, intelligent woman I have ever met. Anybody who thinks otherwise deserves what they get."

Startled by the words that came from Emma's mouth, Regina spoke softly, looking away for a moment, before meeting Emma's eyes, "I love you."

"Me too", Emma replied softly, with a fairly dopey, smitten smile.

Curling her arms around Regina, Emma pulled her in, and kissed her forehead softly for a moment. They stayed like that for nearly a minute, before Regina pulled away.

"I think you're mother is watching us."

"Sure its not her furry little spies?"

"Emma…"

"Sorry, I meant feathery. Shall we do something to shock her?"

"What, and become the talk of the party? Again?"

"Let them talk", Emma said, grinning, and pushing Regina gently against the exposed brick wall behind her for the lip-bruising kiss.

All the while, between the smothered giggles and numerous moans, both of them wished they could see the expressions on the faces of the people back in the apartment.

* * *

"What happened to Grandma?"

Henry's expectant gaze made it nearly impossible for Emma and Regina to keep straight faces.

"Henry, she just hit her head, she's fine."

The boy was undeterred, "But what happened?"

Emma choked back a chuckle, leaving Regina to reply to their son.

"She fainted, Henry, last night, that's all."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed reading, or found it in some way satisfying. Do review, if you can.

Over & out.


End file.
